Tips On How To Prevent Your Car’s Radiator Leak

Over time, your car radiator might develop some leaks and issues in the tank. It’s always a frustrating experience for car owners to see that pool of coolant under their vehicle. 

The question that immediately pops up in a car owner’s mind is, is it from the radiator, water pump, heater core, freeze plugs, or other parts of the car’s cooling system?

If this leak is not immediately addressed, it causes several issues in a vehicle, like overheating or irreparable damage to the car’s engine. Now, if you want to avoid this type of situation with your car, we take you through everything about car radiators and leaks to know. 

Causes Of Car Radiator Leaks

Several things could cause your car radiator to develop a leak. If you wonder why your car radiator is leaking water, it could be any of these reasons.

• Corrosion: This occurs when your radiator has become rusty, which is due to ageing under the constant pressure and heat generated from the car engine.
• Leaking Radiator Gasket: The radiator gasket is a plastic-made sealant between the radiator and the cooling system. When it starts leaking due to heat and pressure, it’ll cause water to leak from the radiator.
• Punctured Radiator Hoses: The radiator hose is the pipe that carries water in the cooling system. Although this hose is made from synthetic rubber and bears a temperature up to 148•c when it punctures, water leaks from the radiator.
• Failed Water Pump: When your radiator is leaking, it can also result from damage to the water pump.
• Blown Head Gasket: When the head gasket is broken, oil, fuel, and radiator water mix, which results in overheating or short circuits infuses. 
• Faulty Expansion Tank: The expansion tank supplies cool water to the radiator. It’s a plastic container connected to the radiator to distribute water. When it’s broken, water leaks from the radiator.

5 Preventive Measures For Radiator Leaks

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Although your radiator could start leaking without your knowledge, car owners can also prevent the constant leaking of their car radiator. To avoid radiator water leaks, these are tips to follow;

1. Checking Your Radiator Regularly 

It’s easy to forget about checking in on your car radiator thoroughly. To avoid a sudden leak developing from your radiator, conduct check-ins to monitor the radiator water level.

2. Replace Worn-Out Radiator Caps

Once you notice that your radiator cap is broken, ensure that you fix it immediately by buying another one to replace it. Ignoring this leads to more significant issues because the cap isn’t tightly sealed, and steam escapes, resulting in a lower water level inside the radiator. 

3. Regularly Clean Your Radiator

Constantly cleaning your radiator leaves no room for it to get rusty. You mustn’t do the cleaning. Take your car to a professional and have them professionally clean it up.

4. Ensure The Coolant Temperature Sensor Is Working

Ensure that your radiator’s coolant temperature sensor is in good working condition. Because once it breaks down, it affects the radiator, which develops a water leak. 

5. Fill The Expansion Tank Regularly 

Constantly fill in your expansion tank that generates water for the radiator. Once there’s water in the expansion tank, it reduces its chance of breaking and affecting the radiator. 

Conclusion 

Taking care of your car’s radiator is essential for functioning properly. To avoid car damage, always pay attention to your car’s radiator at intervals.